Governor candidate Betty Yee backs trans athletes in women’s sports, ’28 Olympics

California gubernatorial candidate Betty Yee said transgender female athletes should be able to compete in women’s sports and that she is open to athletes of all gender identities competing in the same category in some events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

His comments come as the California legislation becomes a central part of the national debate over transgender athletes’ participation in sports and sheds light on his position on one of the few issues currently dividing the state’s Democrats.

During a recent appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” Yee said, “I think transgender athletes are female athletes and they should be able to compete. »

Yee, who served as California state comptroller from 2015 to 2023, told Morgan that transgender female athletes have gone through a physical transition and should be able to compete in women’s sports. However, she added that “there are still discussions about whether they should compete in the same field” and that more research is needed on the physiology of transgender athletes.

His view differs from that of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who called transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports “deeply unfair” and warned that the issue was hurting Democrats in elections during a March episode of his podcast featuring conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Newsom’s comments drew backlash from some in the party, who accused the governor of abandoning a vulnerable minority group for political gain.

When Morgan asked Yee if there should be a gender-neutral 2028 Los Angeles Olympics where everyone competes in the same category, she replied, “I think that’s a conversation worth having.”

“If the physicality of the sexes is true to this [gender neutrality]including with transgender people, yes, that [the Olympics] should be gender neutral,” she said. “I don’t think we know enough.”

Yee suggested that there are certain sporting events where all athletes can compete on equal terms. When asked to name one, she suggested short-distance track and field events such as the 100-meter sprint — a notion Morgan called “crazy.”

The Olympic record among male athletes for the 100 meters is 9.63 seconds, set by Usain Bolt in 2012, while the women’s Olympic record is 10.61 seconds, set by Elaine Thompson-Herah in 2021.

Yee said she was not a sports expert, but emphasized her general position that all athletes, including transgender athletes, should have equal opportunities to participate.

“I think there’s a lot of information we need to learn about what’s really going on with trans athletes’ ability to compete, but my statement is about being able to be confident that they can compete,” she said.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton appeared on Morgan’s show after Yee and called his comments mind-blowing.

“I think we may have just seen another California Democratic candidate torpedo his campaign for governor,” he said, referring to criticism former Rep. Katie Porter received over recordings of combative and crude comments directed at a reporter and staffer.

Hilton said that as governor, he would rescind AB 1266. This law took effect in 2014 and requires California schools to allow students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, regardless of the sex listed on their records.

“This is obviously discrimination against girls,” Hilton said. “I’m confident that as governor I can actually overturn this law and bring some sanity back to this whole situation.”

In July, the Trump administration sued California for allowing transgender athletes to compete on school sports teams matching their gender identity, alleging it violated a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in schools.

This week, Newsom signed Assembly Bill 749, which creates a commission to examine whether a new state board or department is needed to improve access to youth sports regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, income or geographic location.

The bill was decried by some Republican lawmakers as an attempt to create a body that would advocate for the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports.